16 July 2025, 14:28
Crystal Palace have been dumped out of the Europa League.
Crystal Palace have been dumped out of the Europa League. Picture: Alamy
By Henry Moore
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has confirmed plans to take UEFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the club was dumped out of the Europa League.
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The FA Cup winners were demoted to the Conference League after UEFA alleged the club broke its multi-club ownership rules.
The governing body says there is a conflict of interest regarding former director and co-owner John Textor, who also owns part of Ligue 1 side Lyon.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Palace chairman Parish told the Rest is Football podcast: “We are still fighting.
“There’s an appeal process, so we go to CAS which is the court for arbitration and, you know, we’re very hopeful. We think we’ve got great legal arguments.
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Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish.
Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish. Picture: Alamy
John Textor, who owns a partial stake in Crystal Palace.
John Textor, who owns a partial stake in Crystal Palace. Picture: Alamy
“We don’t think this is the right decision by any means. We know unequivocally that John didn’t have decisive influence over the club.
“We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”
UEFA’s ruling means Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League, would take Palace’s place in the Europa League.
Textor, who has agreed to sell his shareholding in Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, told talkSPORT last week he was “worried” this situation might arise from the moment Palace won the FA Cup.
Asked what he thought as they booked their European place, Textor replied: “Oh s***, is what I thought.
“I was very happy, but I felt the gravity of it. And I was concerned on the same day holding the cup next to the Prince (William).”
Announcing the decision, UEFA said: "The CFCB First Chamber had opened proceedings against Crystal Palace and Olympique Lyonnais due to a potential conflict with the multi-club ownership rule provided for in Article 5 of the UEFA Club Competitions Regulations.
"On 9 July 2025, the appeal instance of the French financial control authority (DNCG) decided not to relegate Olympique Lyonnais to Ligue 2. Consequently, and following an assessment by the CFCB of all the other relevant conditions included in the settlement agreement, Olympique Lyonnais will not be excluded from the 2025/26 UEFA club competitions (see media release of 30 June 2025).
"Consequently, the CFCB First Chamber pursued the assessment of the documentation submitted by Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace and concluded that the clubs breached, as at 1 March 2025, the multi-club ownership criteria foreseen in Art 5.01 of the UEFA Club Competition Regulations."